Locomotive ash-pan.



J. L. HILLS.

LOOOMOTIVE ASH PAN. APPLICATION nun H0126, 1909.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

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JOHN LENTON HILLS, 0F KALGDORLIE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA.

LOCOMOTIVE ASH-PAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

Application filed November 26, 1909. Serial No. 529,973.

.7 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN LENTON HILLS, a subject of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, residing at Kalgoorlie, WVestern Australia, in theCommonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and use- .fulImprovements in Locomotive Ash-Pans, of which the following is aspecification.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an ashpan adapted to beeasily and speedily attached to the firebox of a locomotive boiler, bythe manipulation of certain movable parts in which, the contents can bedischarged with less effort and greater certitude than is possible withany of the ash-- pans now in use.

With this object in view I form the bottom of my ashpan with a series ofhorizontal transverse pivoted plates or doors placed in echelon, thatis, having their edges overlapping one another, each plate or door beingcapable of turning into a vertical or nearly vertical position, suchmovement being controlled and performed by means of a system of levers.The ashpan is provided with a damper at both ends, each of which isoperated by a suitable lever connected therewith. But in order to makemy invention more clearly understood I shall now refer to theaccompanying drawings which show the ashpan applied and adapted to thefirebox of a locomotive of ordinary type.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the ashpan. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional elevation thereof. Fig. 3'is a perspective view of the lockingand operating device. Fig. 1 is an elevation of the same with theoperating key in position. Fig.6 is a vertical section of the same. Fig.6 is an elevation of the same in the unlocked or open position. Fig. 7is a perspective detail, showing the operating and locking mechanismconnected with the bottom plates and the side of the casing.

The main casing or frame 5 of the ashpan, provided with external flanges6, is attached thereby with bolts, studs, or set screws to thefoundation ring 7 of the firebox, the sides extending downward but beingcutaway as much as may be necessary to permit a driving axle such as 8to pass underneath the ashpan. To protect the axle from contact with theashes the central portion of the bottom of the firebox is constructed ofa solid arched plate 9. A similar method of construction may be used toprotect other axles or shafts as may be necessary,

A front damper 10 is hinged to the casing and provided with a crank armconnected by suitable means to an operating hand lever (not shown), orthe like, in the cab of the locomotive. A similar back damper 11 is alsoprovided connected by a rod to a similar operating hand lever or thelike (not shown) in the cab.

The bottom of the pan between the front .damper and the arch plate 9consists ofa series of plates or doors 12, 12, placed in echelon andeach provided with a pair of trunnions 13 working in bearings 14 on thesides of the ashpan. To one of the trunnions 13 of each transverse dooror plate is fixed a crank arm 15 connected to a rod 16. One of thesecrank arms 15 has an extension 17 connected by an adjustable link 18 toa lever 19 secured at its fixed end to a shaft or pin 20 pivoted in theside of the ashpan and supported by a double cranked bracket 21 attachedto the side of the ashpan.

The shaft or pin 20 as shown in Fig. 5 is squared on its outer end andis protected by a cup shaped guard 21, having an orifice 22 throughwhich is inserted the box key 23 for the purpose of turning the pin. Thebox key is provided with a feather or pin 24 arranged to pass through aslot 25 in the cup bracket (when the key is being inserted) for thepurpose of insuring that the key and consequently the shaft 20, havingonce been turned must be brought back to the original position beforethe key can be withdrawn.

A washer 26 is fitted over the squared end of the shaft 20 and isprovided with a dependent lug 27 projecting through a segmental slot inthe bottom of the guard, the function of which is to limit the arc ofmovement of the pin to any desired point up to 90 degrees.

As a safeguard against accidental movement of the operating pin, aslotted hole 28 in the lug 27 coincides With a corresponding hole 29 inthe bracket 21, when the pin 20 is in such a position that the ashpanplates are closed, and is retained in that position by the insertion ofa key 30 having a weight ed handle and provided with a feather 31 toprevent it dropping out. This arrangement is shown inFigs. 3, 4 and 5while the unlocked or open position is shown in Fig. 6.

The bottom of the pan between the back damper 11 and the arch plateconsists of transverse plates or doors mounted on trunnions providedwith lever arms'connected by a common rod, all as previously describedand operated similarly. The same numerals have been used to indicate onthe drawings these parts and it is to be understood that the method ofoperation is the same as that described for the front plates, though ifso I desired the movement of the front and back plates may be madesimultaneously by connecting the respective lever arms by suitable linksor rods. The crown or apex of the arch is protected by a baflle plate81.. The

arch plate 9 is attached to the sides of the pan by an internal angleiron 32, and the transverse edges of the arch plate and of the pan arestrengthened by external angle irons 33.

Around the inner surface of the ashpan is arranged a system ofperforated water pipes 34 supported by brackets 35 and connected to abranch of the Waste water or overflow pipe of the injector, for thepurpose of flushing out the ashpan as may be required in order tothoroughly remove the accumulated ashes, etc.

Assuming that the bottom of the pan is closed when it is desired toremove the ashes,

, may be damped with water by means of the perforated pipes, and afterthe bulk of the ashes have been removed the pan may be sluiced out bysimilar means tor-emove any ashes or dust clinging to the pan or plates.

A reversal of the movement of the pin or shaft 20 closes the plates ordoors 12.

The draft of the furnace may be regulated by the dampers 10 and 11operated through their several crank arms and rods.

The elevation of the one section of .the flooring of the pan is done toaccommodate the axle of the wheels and facilitate reaching from end toend of said pan, in other words it is to provide a deep pan which may bedropped to the lowest possible level and yet not hinder the convenienceof the firemans operations.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In locomotiveash pans, an axle, a casing having sides and slots in said sides oversaid axle, an arch piece joining the sides from the edges of the saidaxle slots, and a plurality of bottom plates pivotally secured in saidsides and arranged in echelon.

2. In locomotive ash pans, the combination with a casing having aplurality of bottom plates pivotally secured in the sides, crank arms onsaid plates and a rod connecting said arms, of a pin rotatably mountedoperatively connected with said crank arms, a bracket secured to theside of the ash pan and supporting said pin, a cup shaped guard having afeather slot adapted to permit the insertion of a box key for turningsaid pin, and a box key having a feather corresponding to said featherslot and adapted to turn said pin and operate coincidently the severalcrank arms.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN LENTON HILLS.

lVitnesses:

EDWARD ARTHUR GRIFFITH, ROBERT DONALD MoKENzm.

